EP1260879A2 - Hochspannungs-Vorspannungsrückkopplung für Diagnosezwecke - Google Patents

Hochspannungs-Vorspannungsrückkopplung für Diagnosezwecke Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1260879A2
EP1260879A2 EP02010213A EP02010213A EP1260879A2 EP 1260879 A2 EP1260879 A2 EP 1260879A2 EP 02010213 A EP02010213 A EP 02010213A EP 02010213 A EP02010213 A EP 02010213A EP 1260879 A2 EP1260879 A2 EP 1260879A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bias
feedback signal
power supply
error
feedback
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP02010213A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Joseph J. Furno
Charles H. Hasenauer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eastman Kodak Co
Original Assignee
NexPress Solutions LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NexPress Solutions LLC filed Critical NexPress Solutions LLC
Publication of EP1260879A2 publication Critical patent/EP1260879A2/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/80—Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
    • G03G15/0266—Arrangements for controlling the amount of charge

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to diagnostic and control means for use of electrical biases in electrophotographic imaging systems and in particular systems of this type which have a feedback control for voltage regulation Use preloads on loads.
  • a source of error in the electrically biased systems relates to arcing between surfaces with different potentials. This will Bias potential impaired. Recognize some high voltage systems Arcing and generate an error display. Other systems monitor the Bias power supply output to monitor voltage disturbances. Although these systems are state of the art for their intended purpose are usable in principle, they ignore a main source of error, which in rotating components provided with an electrical bias. error occur on contact with rotating, preloaded components. These mistakes can caused by wear and tear of the brushes that preload the rotating Serve components. In systems where rotating, electrically biased Components are removed regularly, electrical contacts and wear failures are subject to a particular degree. In systems with several Imaging units that are used to generate multicolored images can be debugged and error localization can be very complex. Errors after their occurrence simply too rate is not a viable solution. There is a need for a diagnostic tool to assess problems with electrical preload before they become errors to lead. Once the error has occurred, it's too late.
  • This document describes a process for Control of electrical voltages applied to components in electrophotographic Devices are applied by keeping the current at a predetermined value becomes. This is done by timing the control pulse width modulation in Response to the detected output voltage. The actual component to which Electricity is applied but is not closely monitored. Instead, the Voltage across the component observed.
  • US-A-5,132,869 describes a method for current control of corona chargers by monitoring the actual Drum current to earth can be regulated via a measuring element between the drum and earth is arranged. The current applied to this measuring element is then periodically monitored by machine control, the constant voltage output the corona charger power supply is set accordingly.
  • a digital signal is sent to a machine control given that indicates an electrical bias condition in a component.
  • the Machine control can signal either through interrupt or polling procedures to capture.
  • the detected signal can be filtered accordingly using software.
  • All electrical bias errors can be automatically by the Determine machine control, causing the production of further prints with poorer Image quality is prevented.
  • the system also provides a procedure to prevent this User or maintenance personnel indicate which area of the machine one Maintenance required. This is particularly useful to enable the user Replace cartridges in the machine that need to be refilled.
  • each biased differently Fault analysis system required required that enables efficient machine maintenance.
  • the present invention solves problems encountered in the prior art by is notified of a problem that has occurred and then takes a measure to Avoiding image quality errors.
  • the bias potential of a load resistor is advantageously applied to the Potential source fed back to regulate the bias voltage.
  • the feedback is for a variety of load resistors and sources within a system repeatable.
  • the feedback of the bias potential from the load resistor is compared to the expected output of the bias source. If the difference one between the expected bias and the potential feedback exceeds the predetermined range, the bias source sends a signal to the Machine control to indicate that a bias failure has occurred.
  • the Invention enables the bias potential to be set automatically in the Machine and the setting of the error detection limit values to a new setpoint.
  • the present invention monitors the output voltage of the current regulated Outputs by sampling a scaled, analog representation of the signal. If the If the voltage falls below or exceeds a range defined by the software, this is recognized the machine control as an error. In such a case, the machine will then shutdown and the user / maintenance personnel are informed which system reported an error condition.
  • FIG. 1 shows the hardware of an electrophotographic imaging system with the electrically biased components, with different components on several electrical biases are applied.
  • the system comprises a photoconductor drum 1 with a toner station 5, which places a toner-supported image on the photoconductor drum 1, and an electrostatic cleaning station 3, the residual toner from the photoconductor drum 1 away.
  • An electrically biased intermediate transfer drum 2, which also with an electrostatic cleaning station 4 is adjacent to Arranged photoconductor drum 1 and forms a transmission gap with this.
  • the toner-based image is transferred from the photoconductor drum 1 to the intermediate transfer drum 2 transfer.
  • the system shown in Fig. 1 has eight components, each with one other bias are electrically biased to their respective functions perceive.
  • the photoconductor drum 1 is negatively charged by the primary charger 8.
  • the Print head 9 writes an image on the photoconductor drum 1 by exposing the Photoconductor drum 1 by means of light from light-emitting diodes which are arranged on the print head 9.
  • a mixture of negatively charged toner is positive charged carrier particles applied to the photoconductor drum 1 to a toner-based Train picture.
  • This mixture is transported on the housing of a roller 10, the is biased with a negative offset AC signal (not shown).
  • the Toner is electrostatically attracted to the image. A certain amount of toner, Carrier particles and other contaminants may be removed from the (not discharged) background area of the photoconductor drum.
  • a cleaning lamella 11 is biased with a negatively offset AC signal.
  • the Cleaning lamella 11 pulls the positive carrier from the photoconductor drum 1 electrostatically and leaves the toner-supported image on the photoconductor drum 1.
  • the intermediate transfer drum 2 is electrically positively biased to attract a toner-based image from the photoconductor drum 1.
  • the toner-based image will transported on the intermediate transfer drum 2 to a second transfer nip, between the intermediate transfer drum 2 and the transfer roller 12 is trained.
  • An image receiving element 18 is then such on the transport path 19 transports that the image receiving element 18 between the Intermediate transfer drum 2 and the transfer roller 12 by the second Transmission gap occurs.
  • the transfer roller is electrically biased to the To control the intermediate transfer drum with a constant current.
  • the Transfer roller 12 supports the electrostatic transfer of the toner image onto the Image receiving element 18.
  • the electrostatic Cleaning station 3 comprises a conductive brush 6 which has a positive potential in Relative to the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 is electrically biased. This forms a electrostatic gradient that removes contaminants from the surface of the Photoconductor drum 1 attracts brush 6.
  • the electrostatic cleaning station 3 comprises also a roller 7 which is electrically positively biased with respect to the brush 6. The Biasing pulls the negatively charged impurities from the brush 6 to the more positive one loaded roller 7. The contaminants are also not using a shown scraper blade removed from the roller.
  • the surface of the intermediate transfer drum 2 is made using a similar one Process cleaned as described for the photoconductor drum 1.
  • the surface of the Intermediate transfer drum 2 and impurities on it are from a pre-cleaning corona charger 15 negatively charged.
  • a discharge of the Intermediate transfer drum 2 before cleaning is not necessary because of Intermediate transfer drum 2 is conductive.
  • the cleaning station 4 for the Intermediate transfer drum comprises a conductive brush 16 which is related to the Provide the surface of the intermediate transfer drum 2 with a positive potential is. Due to this potential gradient, impurities from the Drum surface attracted to the brush.
  • the cleaning station for the Intermediate transfer drum also includes a roller 17 which is related to the brush is biased positively. The preload pulls the negatively charged impurities to the more positively charged roller 7. The contaminants are also helped a scraper blade, not shown, removed from the roller.
  • the present invention therefore relates to solving the problems of the prior art to detect possible problems with rotating, preloaded components. From the Description of Fig. 1 it can be seen that there are numerous rotating components that subject to wear due to rotation.
  • the system according to the invention therefore uses Diagnostic equipment directly at the location of the rotating, electrically pre-stressed components, to report a status back to the machine control.
  • the electrical bias can then be set according to predetermined preload values. In the event that the State indicates a bias error, the system responds to this error signal and enables the imaging process to be stopped and the Machine user.
  • Fig. 2 shows a typical bias control, bias source as well Feedback and diagnostic signals for the voltage-controlled load resistors in the system according to the invention.
  • the voltage regulated load resistance corresponds to the following components: the intermediate transfer drum, the brushes and the rollers in the photoconductor and the cleaning devices of the intermediate transfer drum and the roller and the cleaning lamella in the toner station.
  • the machine controller 23 generates analog voltage signals for the AC component 26 and for the DC component 27, which serve the Set the bias potential for the load resistors to be monitored. At the Output of the bias power supply 24 are output and Feedback tracks for the preload. In alternative embodiments could the signal can be a parallel signal, a serial, digital signal or a pulse width modulated signal.
  • the bias power supply 24 generates the corresponding electrical bias for the load resistance.
  • the preferred The embodiment in FIG. 2 provides an output of the bias power supply 24 with an AC component 26 and a DC component 27 there is a bias output in the form of an AC output signal that sits on a DC gradient that is then applied to the toner roller 25.
  • the machine controller 23 generated separate control signals for the AC and DC component 26, 27 of the electrical bias.
  • the AC / DC converter 29 applies a DC voltage to the DC-DC converter 30 and / or to the AC / DC converter 31 of the bias power supply 24 on.
  • the feedback signal from the load resistors also has AC and DC components by AC and DC comparators for determining bias error input 22 be used.
  • the Machine controller 23 digitally filters the signal to determine if the There is an error condition for a programmed number of consecutive samples. When the error condition reaches the programmed scan limit, the Machine control the instruction to the networked control system, the machine switch off and inform the user / maintenance personnel that the Bias system for the respective component is faulty.
  • the bias error input 22 has one in the machine control 23 Interface to the AC and DC components 26 of the controller, see above that a software filter can determine if the error is serious if that Bias error input signal becomes "low".
  • the software filter compares that Bias error with a predetermined value. If the comparison of the Software filter shows that a serious error has occurred, then by software issued the instruction to shut down the system. During the controlled Shutdown also turns off components 26 and 27 of the controller because the power supply is shut down.
  • Components 26 and 27 generate analog signals to match the output values of the DC converter 30 and the AC / DC converter 31 adjust. The values are then part of the electrophotographic process control set.
  • the DC component 27 represents the DC bias value of the Toner roller to control the toner density.
  • the AC component 26 provides the AC bias value over a predetermined ratio to DC bias value.
  • the toner density is indicated by a Transmitted light densitometer monitored in the machine.
  • the AC / DC converter 29 is the low voltage source for high voltage power supplies. The only interaction with the machine controller is that To provide input voltage.
  • the bias power supply 24 provides the bias voltage via a rotating one Connection to the load resistor, for example via a spring-loaded contact carbon 20.
  • a second spring-loaded contact carbon 21 engages the high-voltage feedback signal on the load resistance. This brush is fed back to the power supply where the feedback signal is separated into its AC and DC components becomes.
  • the components are compared with the corresponding control signal. If the feedback signal is outside a specified tolerance range with respect to Control signal is, a digital error signal (22) is generated and for machine control Posted.
  • the peak-to-peak amplitude of the AC component is in that controlled and monitored present embodiment. Other characteristics of the AC component, such as the effective mean voltage or the Vibration frequency, could also be monitored by the feedback comparator become.
  • a signal is sent that corresponds to the Fault condition of both components combined. If in one of the two Components have an error, the error signal is sent. Alternatively separate error signals could be generated for both components.
  • the machine control can either query the digital error signals or switch them on Handle interrupt base.
  • the application described here is that of the preferred one Embodiment that uses the query method.
  • the signals are subjected to software filtering.
  • the software filter takes certain parameters to determine whether it is necessary to use a Generate an error message for the user or the maintenance personnel. By doing preferred embodiment, these parameters include the sampling rate and the required number of consecutive error status queries. Once a predetermined threshold of these parameters is reached, an error message generated.
  • the sampling filter also includes a parameter to perform the error check for a suspended period of time after the power supply is activated or the Bias potential has been set so that the power supply is regulated can.
  • control units 28 can be connected via a computer network 32, such as for example an Arcnet.
  • a computer network 32 such as for example an Arcnet.
  • One or more of these networked control units 28 can provide an interface to the machine user or maintenance personnel in order to report the electrical bias error.
  • Fig. 3 shows a typical bias control, bias source as well Feedback and diagnostic signals for the current controlled load resistors in the system according to the invention.
  • the current-controlled described in Fig. 1 Load resistors correspond to the transfer rollers 12 and the corona charger 13 and 15.
  • the Machine control 23 sets an analog control signal from the AC component 35 to the DC converter 37 in the current regulated Power supply 36 on to set the regulated current value.
  • the AC / DC converter 29 provides the input signal for the current-regulated power supply 36.
  • the DC-DC converter 37 provides the voltage at the output of the power supply to the initial value that is set by the Machine control 23 is requested.
  • the output stream then becomes the Bias component passed, in this case via a brush 41 to the Transfer roller 12.
  • the signal damper 38 divides the output voltage into one value from 9-10 V DC voltage. This divided voltage value is over the Analog voltage input 39 fed back to the machine control 23. At the Analog voltage input 39 is carried out an analog / digital conversion.
  • the Machine controller 23 includes software that measures the digitized value of the Analog voltage input 39 samples.
  • the software subjects the sampled value a comparison to determine if it is within the predetermined acceptable range falls.
  • the signals are software filtering subjected.
  • the software filter uses certain parameters to determine whether it is an error message is necessary for the user or the maintenance personnel produce. In the preferred embodiment, these parameters include the Sampling rate, the required number of consecutive error status queries and the acceptable voltage range. Once a predetermined threshold of these parameters an error message is generated.
  • the sampling filter also includes one Parameters to suspend error checking for a specified period of time after the Power supply activated or the bias potential has been set so the power supply can adjust itself.
  • control unit 28 connected via a computer network 32, such as an Arcnet.
  • a computer network 32 such as an Arcnet.
  • One or several of these networked control units 28 can interface to Deploy to machine users or maintenance personnel to correct the preload error Report to.
  • the present invention provides advantages in a method and an apparatus for Detection of open circuits, overloads, short circuits and intermittent contacts or arcing as well as faulty issues of a Power supply ready in a bias system. That of the machine control
  • the digital signal provided can be detected by interrupt or sampling methods and by Software can be filtered accordingly. This way, all of these Bias errors are automatically determined by the machine control, causing the Production of further prints with poorer image quality is prevented.
  • the system also provides a method to notify the user or maintenance personnel which area of the machine requires maintenance. This is particularly useful to enable the user to replace cartridges in the machine that are refilled have to.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Charge, Transfer And Separation In Electrography (AREA)
  • Control Of Voltage And Current In General (AREA)
  • Developing For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
EP02010213A 2001-05-25 2002-05-16 Hochspannungs-Vorspannungsrückkopplung für Diagnosezwecke Withdrawn EP1260879A2 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US866174 1986-05-20
US09/866,174 US6813128B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2001-05-25 High voltage bias feedback for diagnostic purposes

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1260879A2 true EP1260879A2 (de) 2002-11-27

Family

ID=25347067

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02010213A Withdrawn EP1260879A2 (de) 2001-05-25 2002-05-16 Hochspannungs-Vorspannungsrückkopplung für Diagnosezwecke

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US6813128B2 (ja)
EP (1) EP1260879A2 (ja)
JP (2) JP4394332B2 (ja)
DE (1) DE10221743A1 (ja)

Family Cites Families (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3934141A (en) * 1974-07-03 1976-01-20 Xerox Corporation Apparatus for automatically regulating the amount of charge applied to an insulating surface
JPS61132058A (ja) * 1984-11-28 1986-06-19 Mitsubishi Electric Corp 回転電機用回転子の自動検査装置
US4806991A (en) * 1987-12-21 1989-02-21 Eastman Kodak Company Mechanism for locating a flexible photoconductor relative to a development station
JP2685814B2 (ja) 1988-06-23 1997-12-03 株式会社リコー 画像形成装置
JP3060040B2 (ja) * 1992-07-10 2000-07-04 富士通株式会社 回線エラーレート検出回路
US5409791A (en) * 1993-05-20 1995-04-25 Eastman Kodak Company Image forming method and apparatus
JPH07226979A (ja) * 1994-02-10 1995-08-22 Alpha Corp 遠隔操作装置
JPH09197844A (ja) * 1996-01-19 1997-07-31 Ricoh Co Ltd 画像形成装置
US5723240A (en) * 1996-05-29 1998-03-03 Eastman Kodak Company Method for controlling the formation of toner images with two distinct toners
JP3926898B2 (ja) * 1997-10-16 2007-06-06 株式会社バッファロー 集線装置、集線装置のエラー通知方法および集線装置のためのエラー通知プログラムを記録したコンピュータ読み取り可能な記録媒体
JPH11265092A (ja) * 1998-03-18 1999-09-28 Canon Inc 静電荷像現像用トナー
JP2000019818A (ja) * 1998-07-01 2000-01-21 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
JP2000098699A (ja) * 1998-09-17 2000-04-07 Oki Data Corp 電子写真記録装置
JP2000318221A (ja) * 1999-05-14 2000-11-21 Ricoh Co Ltd 画像形成装置
US6243545B1 (en) * 2000-01-10 2001-06-05 Hewlett-Packard Company Method and apparatus for controlling a bias of a fixing device
US6385415B1 (en) * 2000-05-18 2002-05-07 Nexpress Solutions Llc Development station for a reproduction apparatus
US6385411B1 (en) * 2000-10-13 2002-05-07 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Densitometer diagnostic system for an image-forming machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2008112176A (ja) 2008-05-15
US20030035258A1 (en) 2003-02-20
JP4394332B2 (ja) 2010-01-06
US6813128B2 (en) 2004-11-02
JP4663704B2 (ja) 2011-04-06
DE10221743A1 (de) 2002-11-28
JP2003091323A (ja) 2003-03-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
DE69927324T2 (de) Bilderzeugungsgerät
DE68913789T2 (de) Aufladevorrichtung und Bilderzeugungsgerät mit dieser.
EP1523412B1 (de) Verfahren und vorrichtung zur fehlerbehandlung in einem drucker oder kopierer
DE69926721T2 (de) Drucker mit erleichterter Detektierung eines beschädigten Elementes
DE3807121A1 (de) Elektrofotografische druckeinrichtung mit geregeltem elektrofotografischen prozess
EP3942307A1 (de) Vorrichtung zur analyse von strömen in einem elektrischen verbraucher und verbraucher mit einer derartigen vorrichtung
EP0435371A2 (de) Stromversorgungseinrichtung mit Unsymmetrieüberwachungsschaltung
DE69107377T2 (de) Bildaufnahmegerät.
DE69211507T2 (de) Elektrophotographisches Druckgerät
DE3337881C2 (de) Vorrichtung zur Feststellung von Störungen einer Aufladeeinheit
EP1178363A2 (de) Bilderzeugungsvorrichtung und zugehöriges Verfahren mit Laderreinigeraktivierung nach Lichtbogenfehler
DE69733099T2 (de) Reinigungsverfahren einer Kontaktaufladevorrichtung in einem elektrographischen Gerät
WO1988005570A1 (en) Process and device for monitoring computer-controlled final control elements
EP1260879A2 (de) Hochspannungs-Vorspannungsrückkopplung für Diagnosezwecke
DE19954443B4 (de) Automatisches Reinigungsverfahren für Elektrifizerer und Bilderzeugungsgerät
DE60121855T2 (de) System zum überwachen von paramentern die dem betrieb eines elektrofotografischen markierungsgeräts entsprechen
EP0942537B1 (de) Schaltungsanordnung zur Kontrolle einer Ausgangslast
EP0888579B1 (de) Verfahren und anordnung zum optimieren einer ladungsbilderzeugung auf einem fotoleiter
DE102015208927A1 (de) Verfahren zum Überwachen eines Bordnetzes
DE2912350A1 (de) Verfahren und anordnung zum messen der corona an einem im betrieb befindlichen elektrostatischen kopiergeraet
DE102006036829A1 (de) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Ermitteln eines Fehlerzustands eines Flachbildschirms
DE4429278C2 (de) Funktionseinheit
EP1156380B1 (de) Elektrofotografische Prozesssteuerung und diagnostisches System
DE102018118057A1 (de) System zur automatisch überwachten Fahrzeugzustandssignalisierung und Verfahren zur Überwachung einer Fahrzeugzustandssignalisierungsvorrichtung
DE102012105338A1 (de) Verfahren zum Steuern eines digitalen Drucksystems sowie Drucksystem zum Ausführen eines solchen Verfahrens

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: FURNO, JOSEPH J.

Inventor name: HASENAUER, CHARLES H.

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN

18W Application withdrawn

Effective date: 20090114